1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor processing, and more particularly to sockets useful with, for example, circuit boards, and to methods of making and using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In various types of electronic systems, microprocessors and sometimes other types of integrated circuits are often connected to some form of larger printed circuit board, such as a motherboard, daughterboard or other type of a printed circuit board. In some cases, the integrated circuit is connected to the motherboard by direct soldering or other direct mounting techniques. In other cases, a socket is provided on the upper surface of the motherboard that is designed to receive the integrated circuit. For those integrated circuits that consist of some type of package enclosure and some plurality of conductor pins or lands that project from the package, the motherboard socket includes a corresponding plurality of individual socket holes or flexible land contacts that are arranged spatially to match up with corresponding conductor pins or lands on the integrated circuit package. Conductive lands are used with a so-called land grid array (LGA) package. LGA sockets incorporate flexible LGA contacts.
In many conventional LGA socket designs, the integrated circuit socket consists of a fortress-like structure that has four walls interconnected at four corners. The four walls enclose an interior space that has a bottom surface provided with a plurality of the aforementioned individual LGA contacts. To bring the package interconnects into ohmic contact with the LGA contacts, some form of clamping mechanism is utilized. In one conventional design, the clamping mechanism consists of a spring loaded lid pivotally mounted to a frame that is in-turn secured to a circuit board. The packaged integrated circuit is first mounted to a detachable holder and the holder is then mounted to the spring loaded lid. The spring loaded lid leaves a space between the upper surface of the package lid and the under surface of the spring loaded lid. This space results in a requirement for a heat sink to use a pedestal in order to mount on the package lid. Levers are used to hold the spring-loaded lid in position.
Another conventional LGA socket clamping mechanism uses a holding member pivotally mounted on a stiffener that is in-turn mounted on a circuit board. A packaged integrated circuit is mounted on a carrier that is slidedly mounted on the holding member. The holding member is pivoted down into position relative to a socket housing by depressing a tab on the holding member that is laterally offset from hinge connecting the holding member to the stiffener. Thereafter a load plate is pivoted down into engagement with the package lid and both the load plate and the holding member are fixed by levers. The offset placement of the tab can introduce torques during the pivoting maneuver of the holding member, which might impact land to contact positioning.
The present invention is directed to overcoming or reducing the effects of one or more of the foregoing disadvantages.